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Flash pots and sparklers exploded randomly Donut-scented smoke filled the halls Dramatic music--five or six different tracks--blared siht fire as all the special effects in the building were triggered at once

Percy, Coach Hedge, and Frank stulass tunnel and found themselves back in the whale shark room Thecrowds--fa in every direction while the staff raced around frantically, trying to assure everyone it was just a faulty alarm system

Percy knew better He and his friends joined the mortals and ran for the exit

Chapter 17

Annabeth was trying to cheer up Hazel, regaling her with Percy’s greatest Seaweed Brain moments, when Frank stumbled down the hall and burst into her cabin

"Where’s Leo?" he gasped "Take off! Take off!"

Both girls shot to their feet

"Where’s Percy?" Annabeth derabbed his knees, trying to breathe His clothes were stiff and damp, like they’d been washed in pure starch "On deck They’re fine We’re being followed!"

Annabeth pushed past hiht behind her and Frank trailing, still gasping for air Percy and Hedge lay on the deck, looking exhausted Hedge was , "Awesome Awesome" Percy was covered with nicks and scratches, like he’d jurasped Annabeth’s hand weakly as if to say, Be right with you, as soon as the world stops spinning

Leo, Piper, and Jason, who’d been eating in theup the stairs

"What? What?" Leo cried, holding a half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich "Can’t a guy even take a lunch break? What’s wrong?"

"Followed!" Frank yelled again

"Followed by what?" Jason asked

"I don’t know!" Frank panted "Whales? Sea monsters? Maybe Kate and Porky!"

Annabeth wanted to strangle the guy, but she wasn’t sure her hands would fit around his thick neck "That et us out of here"

Leo put his sandwich between his teeth, pirate style, and ran for the hel into the sky Annabeth n of pursuit by whales or otherwise, but Percy, Frank, and Hedge didn’t start to recover until the Atlanta skyline was a hazy se in the distance

"Charleston," Percy said, hobbling around the deck like an old man He still sounded pretty shaken up "Set course for Charleston"

"Charleston?" Jason said the naht back bad memories "What exactly did you find in Atlanta?"

Frank unzipped his backpack and starting bringing out souvenirs "Solobe And, um, these not-really-Chinese handcuffs"

Annabeth forced herself to stay calm "How about you start froathered on the quarterdeck so Leo could hear the conversation as he navigated Percy and Frank took turns relating what had happened at the Georgia Aquariu from time to time: "That esome!" or "Then I kicked her in the head!"

At least the coach see asleep in the stable the night before But judging from Percy’s story, Annabeth had worse problerounded

When Percy explained about the captive sea creatures in the aquarium, she understood why he seemed so upset

"That’s terrible," she said "We need to help them"

"We will," Percy proure out hoish…" He shook his head "Never mind First we have to deal with this bounty on our heads"

Coach Hedge had lost interest in the conversation--probably because it was no longer about hi his roundhouse kicks and coripped the hilt of her dagger "A bounty on our heads…as if we didn’t attract enough et WANTED posters?" Leo asked "And do they have our bounties, like, broken down on a price list?"

Hazel wrinkled her nose "What are you talking about?"

"Just curious howfor these days," Leo said "Ias pricey as Percy or Jason, maybe…but am I worth, like, two Franks, or three Franks?"

"Hey!" Frank complained

"Knock it off," Annabeth ordered "At least we know our next step is to go to Charleston, to find this map"